Title: A Multi-Functional Three-Dimensional Microscopic System with Structured Illumination and Optical Depth Scanning

Invention: The technology is a telecentric microscope design that reconciles the resolution vs. depth of field issues associated with microscope systems. The microscope’s design maintains constant system magnification while it performs a depth scan with an electrically controlled vari-focal lens.

Background: The classic tradeoff between optical resolution and depth of field in microscopy forces a conventional system to take measurements at different depths and then reconstruct three dimensional data for an extended depth of field (EDOF), a time-consuming process due to the limited speed of mechanical movement and complexity of data extraction.